Costoclavicular or Military Brace or Eden’s Test

Original Editor - Venus Pagare

Top Contributors - Venus Pagare, Patti Cavaleri, Rachael Lowe, Kai A. Sigel, Kim Jackson, Admin, Tony Lowe, George Prudden and WikiSysop  

Purpose

Test for presence of costoclavicular syndrome

Technique

Patient is standing. The examiner palpates the radial pulse and then draws the patient's shoulder down and back as the patient lifts their chest in an exaggerated "at attention" posture. A positive test is indicated by an absence or decrease in vigor of the pulse and implies possible costoclavicular syndrome. This test is particularly effective in patients who complain of symptoms while wearing a backpack or heavycoat.

Importance of Test

Patients with Vascular types of costoclavicular syndrome often describe their pain as a fullness, heaviness, clumsiness, or weakness in their arm. The patient may also have subjective complaints of swelling, either permanent or intermittent. When performing the Costoclavicular Brace Test, the examiner is placing the patient in a position that compresses the neurovascular bundle between the first rib and clavicle, thus resulting in a decrease in pulse strength. When performing this test, it is important to test the contralateral side as well to understand the patient's normal radial pulse.

References

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